Method of treating wurtzilite.



' NtTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT M. THOMPSON, OF SUTTON, NEBRASKA.

METHOD OF TR EATING WURTZILITE'.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 655,130, dated July 31, 1906. ApplicatlonfilelAprllZB,1898. strains. 678.634. on specimens.)

To ctZZ ugh/077?, it may concern:

Be it known that 1, ROBERT M. THOMPSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Su tton, in the county of Clay and State of Nebraska, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Methods of Treating WVurt zilite; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to a method of treating the mineral wurtzilite and rendering it commercially valuable and in such condition that it can be utilized for various purposes, and particularly as an insulating material to serve effectually as a non-conductor of telluric influences, as heat and electricity.

As is well known, wurtzilite is a peculiar hydrocarbon mineral amorphous in form and usually found in large homogeneous masses free from mechanical mixture or contamination with earthy substances. When cold or at ordinary temperature, it is brittle and breaks with a large conohoidal fracture, giving very brilliant glossy surfaces, with a vitreous luster like uintahite and resembling in appearance the splendent conchoidal surfaces of newly-broken obsidian. It has, however, a decidedly-tough quality, which increases with the elevation of temperature, and it requires a quck, sharp blow to detach a flake and secure a good fracture. It shows a tendency to break in thin flakes rather than in cuboidal or spheroidal masses. In the midst of a large mass of the mineral remarkable for the growth of the conchoidal surfaces there is a small nodular mass with a granular fracture, the color and luster of which, however, is the same as in other portions and there does not appear to be any essential dif ference in composition.

An actual analysis of wurtzilite discloses that its specific gravity is 1.0510; color, black, streak brownish black, and, as stated, fracture conchoidal. It melts only when heated to the point of ignition and then burns with a smoky flame.

The composition of the mineral is as follows: carbon, 79.81 per cent. 5 hydrogen, 11.30 per cent.; nitrogen, 2.63 per cent.; sulfur, 4.50 per cent. ash, 1.50 per cent. total, 99.74;

bitumen soluble in carbon bisulfid, 6.24: per cent.; bitumen soluble in 88 gasolene, none.

In carrying out my method the crude min} eral is'placed in a retort and heated to a high temperature say from 800 to 1,000 Fahrenheitfor a long'er or shorter period, accordingly as it is desired to reduce it to a complete liquid or melted state for combination with other elements or to a plastic or softened condition to adapt it to be easily worked or molded into a desired form. While still in a heated condition and at a temperature slightly below that of the retort the mineral may be placed under heavy pressure and molded to the desired form. In this latter operation it will be understood that the molds used may be varied to formdifierent articles, and While undergoing the heating step sulfur and volatile elements are eliminated.

When the mineral is retorted, as just stated, it will melt and the molding operation is car- ,ried'on while cooling.

eral, however, steam heat is preferable in that it retains all the properties of the mineral, and under the action of this medium the mineral is softened and has the consistency of cheese. The time consumed attaining the required temperature by the use either of a retort or steam will be varied in accordance with the size of the piece of mineral treated. As thus far treated the mineral will serve very efficiently for different purposes and may be used in this condition as a non-conductor of telluric influences, such as heat and electricity.

To insure a more positive insulating efiect, the mineral is fused by the action of heat and a hardening material-such as mica, asbestos, or soapstone-is incorporated therein and afterward a quantity of sulfur. After the addition of these materials in proper proportions the mixture ferments or rises in the form of a yeast-like mass which is subjected to heavy pressure to form the article desired or reduced to a block of the material which may be afterward cut by any suitable means and polished.

In heating the mineral and before the addition of materials specified it is first fused or melted in a closed vessel or retort and then placed in an open vessel with as much heat In heatingthe min-- 7 applied thereto as it will stand without catchthe use of any material or combinationof mate'rials'which when combined with the wurtzilite will effect the hardening thereof in either of these ways.

Inasmuch as the ingredients are cheap, the

be used as the heated mass of mineral will take up, and after this operation sulfur is incorporated in quantities from four to ten per cent. in weight and according to the hardness required. When the sulfur is mixed wit-h the other materials, it will set up a fermentation,and while in' this condition the mass is molded 'under very heavy pressure and preferably in a coppermold. The sulfur is added to the mixture to vulcanize it, and this is increased by molding under heavy pressure. i

In adding the mica, asbestos, or soapstone they are first pulverized, so as to become readil y incorporated with the mineral,.which when heated fuses or melts to the consistency of paste. It will be understood that by combining one or more of these materials or their equivalents with the wu'rtzilite the latter may be hardened to any desired degree by 'eithe'ra physical change, a chemical change, or a com bin'atio'n of these changes or actions. using mica, asbestos, 'or soapstone separately or together in any desired combination the wurtzilite product will be physically changed T and hardened, while by using sulfur alone the .wurtzilite product will be chemically' changed and "vulcanized, and thereby har- I de'ned. Similarly by usingone or all or any combination of two of the first-named mate rials in connection with sulfur the wurtzilit-e will be hardenedby both changes or actions. My invention therefore broadly contemplates mode of preparation extremely simple, and the material susceptible of being used to form the base of various compositions and molded into any desired shape or molded in bulk form and afterward cut or dressed down, it is obvious that the resulting product may be advantageously employed for fire bricks, pavements, construction of sewers, electrical insulators, including knobs, handles, tubes, buttons, and the like, and for a great many other purposes, which will readily suggest themselves to persons familiar with the use to which similar mate rials or compounds are applied. I I

Having thus described the invention, when is claimed as new is-*- I 1. The process of treating wurtzilite to 'render it available for commercial use,which'consistsin reducing the mineral to asof-tened or f used state by the action of heat, substantial-1y as described. I I

2. The process of treating wui'tzilite to render it available forcom'rhercial iise,which'consist's in subjecting the mineral to the action of steam heat 'to "reduce it to asoften'e'd or fused state, substantially as described. I

In testimony whereof I afli'x my signature in presence of two witnesses. I v I I I ROBERT M. THOMPSON. Witnesses: I I

THEO. MILLER,

A. W. CLARK. 

